Day 11
Prayer
Heavenly Father, what are the conditions which must be met before You will grant understanding of scripture?1.5 You have shown me one of them in John 8:43-47. I see in this verse, that conversion is prerequisite for understanding scripture. 1.5 You said "you don't hear because you are not of God... you are of your father, the devil". When we are born again through Your Holy Spirit, we are transferred from the domain of darkness, into the kingdom of Your son (Colossians 1:13). At that moment we are born of You. At that moment, You are our spiritual father.
But in John 8:43-47, Your Son was talking to men who had a different spiritual father. They were Pharisees (John 8:13). The Pharisees were religious leaders in Israel. But Jesus said that they were sons of the devil. They were not believers. Because of this, they could not understand Your word because they couldn't hear it. They couldn't hear it because they were of their father, the devil. Yes, religious leaders like preachers and seminary professors can be unable to understand the Bible because they are unbelievers... imposters... "even Satan masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14,15). They are teachers who don't believe scripture.
After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples (Luke 24:1-45). "But their eyes were kept from recognizing him" (Luke 24:16). "Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45).
So, we see that understanding is granted. It is granted to those who have met conditions which You have pre-ordained.1.5
Now I know how to walk by the Spirit in the company of unbelievers. I can't make them understand the gospel. I pray the disciple making prayers4.4. As I pray I tell them that Your Son died on the cross for our sins, rose from the dead and gives eternal life to any who trusts in Him (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Ephesians 2:8-9). (In other words, I just repeat the words of the Father and pray2.3). Your Holy Spirit will convict the unbeliever of sin (John 16:8). You have made evangelism easy! 2.3
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